Traction-engine.



A'. I. HOVLAND. TRAGTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14, 1910.

1 11 36, Patented Aug. 24,1915.

@SHEETS-SHEET 1.

w/ T/VESSES. @M 5 A. I. HOVLAND.

TRACTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION .FILED NOV. 14; 1910.

1 51,30, Patented Aug. 24,1915.

4 SHEETSTSHEETZ.

A. L'HOVLAND, TRACTION ENGINE;

APPLIC ATION FILED NOV-1 4. I910.

ima

Patented Aug. 24, 1915,

- 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- A; I. HOVLAND.

TRACTION ENGINE. APPLICATION'FILED NOV-14.19 10,

' mmedAu 24,1915.

I 4SHEETS--SHEET 4.

' To asZZ whom it may concern ice;

auron I. HOVLAND, orsr. PAUL, inrnnnsora.

menace.

rnac'rroitsnnemn.

'- Specification Letters Patent. f gie mj fig, 2 1 1915,

Application filed. November 14, 191G. Serial No. 59$,e02.

Be it known that I, ANTON I of St. Paul, Hennepin county, Minnesota,

have invented certain new and' useful Imvprovements 1n Tract1on Eng1ne 's,"of which thefollowing is a specification.

My. invention relates to thatclass of trac tion apparatus wherein an endless belt is utilized for traction purposes and the object of the invention is, to provide means a for turning an apparatus of this kind easily and quickly and without the necessity of making a sweeping curve to reverse the direction of movement of the machine.

The invention consists generally in a traction machine having independent tractors on each side thereof, with apower device located on the frame of the-apparatus and having connectionswith said tractors for driving the same simultaneously in the same direction, or driving either'thereof in either directio'n while the other remains idle, with an elevator and turn-table device for relieving the weight of the apparatus on the trac-- tors and throwing the same'upon the turn' table during the turning operation. c

Furtherthe invention consists in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims. I

' In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a traction plow apparatus embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is aplan view of the same, Fig. 3 is a. horizontal sectional view illustrating the apparatus for operating'the turntable device Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view showing the construction of the turn table.

In the drawing, 2 representsthe frame'of the machine, wherein shafts 3 and 4c are mounted, corresponding shafts being provided at the opposite end of the machine, and sprocket wheels 5 and 6 are mounted on said shafts and around these sprocket wheels traction belts 7 and 8 are arranged, having friction shoes 9, preferably of channel bar iron, the flanges of which are adapted to dig into the soil and prevent slippage of the belts. These belts, as indicated, are pref; erably arranged in pairs, each pair being provided with a series of friction shoes,

and the shafts of a belt on one side of the machine are movable inde endently of the shafts on the other side 0 the machine, so

that one belt can be'fdriven forward or backward while the other one is stationary, or both can be drivensimultaneouslvin: eitherdirection. Theshafts of the traction belts are operated through chains 10 and'll which connect sprockets on the traction'belt shafts with pinion' sl3 on a shaft 14 which is journaled inthframe of the machine;

Clutch be 's'15 and 16 are Provided on each side of a clutch gear 17 which meshes with a pinion 18 on' a counter shaft 19 and through this pinion and counter shaft the,

turn table mechanisrnis operated and the 4 plows raised or lowered-{as will. be hereinstruction. The clutch members are operable independently of one anotherbyEmeans of a rod having an arm 21 securedth'ereon in position to engage and rock a crank arm ,22 mounted on theclutch operating: shaft 28. This rod is rockedby means of a lever 24. A sleeve 25 is carried by said rod and 'is provided with mechanism for operating the other clutch membersimilar to that described, and I will designate-tlieparts by the same reference numeral with the addition of the exponentla. r A lever 24? is mounted to rock the sleeve 25' on its supporting rod and actuate the' clutch member 15. The clutch gear 17 is driven from a gear 26 on the crank shaft 27 of the source of motive power- 28,; which may be of anysuitable design or type. 4

- Upon the shaft 19 friction collars'29 are mounted and above these collars friction eccentrically mounted on shafts 32 and 32?, so that when these shafts are-rockedin their wheels 30 and 31 of suitable material are bearings the friction wheels. 30 will be moved into or lars 29.

But of contact with the col The eccentric shafts are/ rocked by i ndejpendent means consisting, preferablyfoaf rods 33 and 3st journaled in the machine frame and having treadles 35 and 36 with 7 links 37 and 38 connecting arms on said rods The rocking of these shafts will move the fric-' v v with cranks 89 on the eccentric shafts.

either the plows or the. turn table mechai ing 57 has af central bearing 62in which a stud 63 formed on a hub 63"is journaled,

nism;

The turn table mechanism'is controlled'by.

. the-friction wheel 30 through a belt QLOjcofi-"Q; necting the shaft 32 with a shaft t1 .which' is provided at its inner end withfafpinion. Q 42..meshing with a gear'l3 This-. gearlis" loosely mounted and has clutch connections 44 and 45 with a centrally arranged clutch o collar 46 splined -on the shaft 41, said clutch f collar beingoperated'by a bar 47 and a lever I 48. Inthe position shown in Fig. 3 both, A

grect on will revolvethe screws in one way clut'chesare inoperative and the gear 43 is stationary; When thelever 48 is thrown; in one direction, one ofthe clutcheswill .be

. thrown to its operative position to connect the shaft l1 and the gear 43 andcause the shaft toibe driven in one direction. When the other clutch is operated,the shaft will 26 be driven inthe' opposite direction. This,

the turn tablefid v a Pu of v making. revolve. either in one direction" or the other is to permit thelowering of 5 the'turn table to. its operative'position or the Iifting of-the same to itsv inoperative po sition:1

Journa led inthe frame-of the machine is a'seriesr of upright screws 4:9, preferably.

four. 1n number, each having a fsprocket wheel 50 thereon to engage .aIbelt 51 oper-' ating-in a ,horizontal plane and passing around these sprocket wheelsand a similar sprocket wheel '52f'on the shaft 52:, upon which the gear.43is' mounted. The sprocket wheels ihave'interiorly threaded hubs 53 thereon and are held against vertical m'ovementon the screws 49 by'cross bars 53 on the machine frame on the underside and by 0 a'ring 5t on theupper side, which has antifriction bearings on the sprocket wheels.

ilationbyj means of a spider 56 and on the lower ends of the screws a casting57 is mounted, forming the upper portion of the baseof the turn table. The lower portion, yjorthe part that contacts with the ground,

represented reference numeral 58 in Fig.

4, is composed of suitable material, preferab1y;.planking,' which 'can be readily re- 7 -moved and renewedwhen worn; A ring 59 is mounted-on the base .53 and anti-friction '60 rollers '60, jOurnaled in rings 61 and 62, are

interposed between the casting 57 land the base" ring so thatwhen the base is seated on the ground the superimposedcasting may i turn freely "thereon and allow the machine as to be revolved and its direction of move- 41; The position of the clutch. device in connection with the gear43 determines the j "machine. shaft controls theyraising andlowe'ring, of-

--form, a-re arranged at different points on with a gear 80 on a counter shaft 81. The

merit easily and quickly changed. The cast the studb'eingisecured'in its bearing by a cap 64" fitting-the -threa'ded end of the stud.

. In the operation of the turn table device,

the friction; wheel "30 will be moved into engagement with the friction collar to t'rans-' mit power'tothe belt 40 and drive the shaft direction .ofmovementof said gear;-one diand force the base of the turn table downward to lift the machine sufficiently to throw the greater portion of the weight upon the turn table, leaving sufficient contact only {between the traction belts andv thee-ground to=all0w one belt to be operated .tojtur n the If quick action is desired, one traction belt may be moved in one-direction, andthe other belt in the other direc-l tion.

For the purpose of raising the plows b'efore turning the machine-,1 provide a.mech-- anism' which I will 'now" sdescribje in detail. 64 represents the plow frame,- 65"aseries of plow beams connected thereto and carrying plows 66.; This frame, assh'own plainlyin j Fig; 2, is arranged diagonally with"respect to the direction of movement of the machine and each-plow beam has ,a cable 67'. leading therefrom to a lever 68. thatlis mounted on a-shaft "69 carried .by the machine frame.-

The cables 67' pass under suitable anti-friction'wheels. 70 and the levers 68 have antifriction wheels 71 in the paths respectively 'of a series. of cams 72 mountedxon a shaft 73-. These camsp-whil'e corresponding in their shaft'so that when the shaftis revolved the levers-68 will beactuated successively and the plows-lifted out of the ground successively in a corresponding. manner. A gear '74 is se'cured on the shaft 73 meshing with a pinio 751ona-short shaft 76 that is mounted ab ve the shaft 73 and carries a worm wheel 77 which meshes with a screw 78 having a, beveled pinion .79 that meshes counter shaft 81 is'arranged 'parallelwith ,the shaft"=73 and is driven by a s rocket words, as the plows approach the end of the land, the foremost plow will be lifted out of its furrow first and the succeeding plows successively raised as fast as they reach the end of the land. The result of this arrange ment is that the end of the land will be straight and the furrows will be all of the same length. 'The device used for lifting the plows successively will also be utilized.

for lowering them in rotation.

It is also desirable to lift the plow frame and I therefore provide cranks 83 and 84 on the shaft 73 connected by links 85 and 86 with the plow frame. Draw-barsv 87 con-. nect the machine and plow frame and a series of guiding bars 87 are also provided and pivotally connected with the machine frame to hold the plow frame and prevent it from oscillating laterally when lifted. The connection of the link 85 with the plow frame may be made in any suitable way, but preferably through the bell crank 88 and the rod 89 connecting it with the plow frame. The plow frame attached directly to the traction apparatus is capable, as described, of swinging vertically to lift all of the plows out of the ground simultaneously.

, This is important. in case it .is desired to back the machine and particularly so when the plows have gathered up refuse or encountered some obstruction, and the driver wishes to back the traction apparatus and disengage the plows from'the refuse or obstruction with which they may have come incontact. Other agricultural implements attached to the traction apparatus may be lifted to an inoperative position in substantially the same way.

I do not W111 in this. application to be confined to the mechanism hereih shown and 40 described for effecting the elevation of the machine, as 1 am aware that a tu'rntable rlevice of this kind can be constructed in many different ways and accomplish substantially the same result as I have attained and the driving connections, therefore, may also be modified in different ways and still be within the scope of my invention.

I have shown this turn table device used in connection with a traction machine having belts, but do not wish to confine myself to this use, as a similar mechanism willbe found to be very advantageous in the turning of a traction machine having wheels instead of belts. Generally a large amount of 1 K space is required at the'end of the land to be plowed for turning the traction apparatus, but with my invention a machme can be turned in its tracks or substantially so,

and it is thus possible to plow with a ma 00 chine of this type all of the land that is desired for cultivation instead of leaving the turning. ground at each end of the land, as usually required, to be plowed by some other means.

I do not limit myself to the details of con .belts upon each side of said frame for en- .sisting of a substantially horizontal plate struction' herein shown and described, as the same may be varied in many particulars without departing from my invention' -I claim asmy invention:.

1. A traction machine, comprising, in

combination, a supporting frame,- tractors gaging the soil, a source of motive power mounted-on said frame, connections between said motive power and said traction belts for 9O movable turn-table device having a stationary base and an upper revoluble portion,

and-an operating mechanism therefor, substantially as described. 8. Atraction machine comprising a frame, a source of motive power mounted thereon, tractor belts having driving connections with said source of motive power for operating both tractor belts simultaneously in the same direction, or one in either direction while the other remains idle, a turn table device carried by said frame and having a base adapted to be lowered into contact'with the ground to lift said frame, said base consisting of a substantially horizontal plate having a flat under surface, driving means connecting said turn table device with said source of motive power and a clutch mecha-' nism controlling said driving means.

A traction machine comprising a frame, a source of motive power thereon, tractor belts having driving connections with said adapted'to rest upon the ground, screws attached to said plate and having bearings in said frame, and mechanism for revolving said bearings to raise or lower said plate.

, A traction machine comprising a frame, a'source of motive power thereon, traction belts carried by said frame, connections between said motive power andsaid tractor belts for operating both belts simultaneously in the same direction, or one belt in either direction while the other remains idle, a turn table device including a base adapted to be moved into contact with the ground v porting frame, a source of 'motlve power @and'rest thereon, the upper-portion of. said base being capable of revolving on the lower portion, and mechanism for raising or lowering said base. v 6., A tractlon engine. comprising a supthereon, traction belts carried by said frame, a'turn table device, including a substantially horizontal base adapted to be moved into contact with the ground and rest thereon, screws mounted on said base and vertically movable on said frame,

H raise; or lower said base. j

sprocket wheels mounted on said screws and held against vertical movement thereon, a driving belt for said sprocket wheels, and mechanism operatively connected with said source of motive power for driving said traction belts'simultaneously in the same rection, orone in either directionwhile the other remains idle and means for revolving said screws.

' 7. A traction machine comprising a frame,

a source of motive power thereon, traction means upon each side of-the frame having driving connections with saldsource of mofriction bearing on said sprocket wheels,' .whereby said wheels will be held against vertical movement on said screws'and the revolution of said wheels Wlll cause sald screws to move vertically, and a driving connection between said sprocket wheels and said source of motive power.

8. A. traction machine including a supporting frame, traction means upon each side of the frame, a source of motive power having a driving connection with-said trac tion means for operating both traction- 'means simultaneously in the same direction,

orone in either direction while the other remains idle, a turn table device including a base having a lower portion adapted to rest upon the ground, and arevoluble upper por- 4 tion arranged to turn freely on saidlower portion, elevating screws connected: with sald base and havlng bear ngs in said frame,

and means for revolving said screws to 9. A traction engine including traction belts having shoes'adapted to engage the a soil and meansfor 'driving said belts simultaneously 1n the "same directlon, or one 'in either direction 'while the other remains idle, a supportlng frame, a turn table device including a substantially horizontal base pro- :vided with a fiat bearing surface to engage the ground-for elevating said frame and means for operating said turn table device until the contact ofsaid belts with the ground is sufiioient only to revolve said machine when the belts are operated.

10. A'traction engine comprising aframe,

traction belts therefor having shoes adapted to engage the soil, a source of motive power mounted on said frame, mechanism connecting said source of motive power with said" belts for operating either oneof said belts independently -'of the other, a turn table device adapted to be moved downwardly into contact with the ground, mechanism for op erating said turntable. device from the source of motive power, said turn table deciently to allow the engine to be turned by the operation of one of said belts.

11. 'A traction machine comprising a frame, a source of motive power thereon,-

source of motive power, said .driving connections being adapted to operate either one of said belts independently of the other belt, a turn table device comprising a base adapted to be lowered to rest upon the ground, and means for raising said frame and supporting it on said base until only the middle portion of said.v belts contact with the ground, the operation'of one of said belts'turning the frame on said turn table device.

12. A traction machine including a sup-.

porting frame, traction beltstherefor, a source of motive power having adriving connection with saidtraction belts for operating both simultaneously in the same direction, or one in either direction while the other remains idle, and a turn table device 4 having a lower stationary portion adapted .torest upon the ground and an. upper revoluble portlon and means for raising and supporting 'said frame on said base.

13. A traction machine including a supporting frame, traction belts therefor, a

source of motive power having a driving connectlon with said traction belts and op-- .eratmg to move both simultaneously in the same direction, or one in either direction while the other remains dle, a turn table device including a base hav ng a lower portion provided with a broad bearing surface adapted to rest upon the ground and a revoluble upper portion arranged to turn freely upon said lower portion; and means for elegating said frame and silpporting it on said ase.

14. A traction machine including a supporting frame, traction belts therefor, a source of motivepower. having a driving, connection withsaid traction belts for op erating said belts simultaneously in the same dlrectlon, or one in either direction wh le the other remains idle, a turntable device being adapted to lift said frame suifitraction belts having shoes to engage the soil and driving connections with said vice including a base having a lowerlportion adapted to rest upon the ground and a revoluble upper portion havingan anti-friction bearing upon saidlqwer portion, means for raising or lowering' said-turn table device, and a driving connection between said source of power and said turn table device.

15. A- traction :machine comprising a frame, a source of motive power thereon, traction belts-having driving connections with said source of motive power for op erating both simultaneously, in the same 'direction, or one in either direction whilethe other remains-idle, a turn table. device including a substantially horizontal base having a broad bearing surface on the ground, screws having bearings in said frame, and an anti-friction bearing on said base, a driving connection between said screws and said source of motive power, means permitting the vertical movement of said screws and preventing a corresponding movement of said driving connection.

16. A traction'machine, comprising, in combination, a supporting frame,- traction means for. each side of said frame, a source of motive power mounted on said frame, connections between said motive power and said, traction means "for operating both traction means simultaneously in the same direction, or one in either 'dire'ctionwhile the other remains idle, carrying frame connected to one end of said'supporting frame, 'means located upon said supporting frame for raising and lowering said carrying frame, a turn-table device, carried by said supporting frame, comprising means adapted to be; lowered to the ground, and means for raising said supporting frame, and relieving the traction means of the principal portion of the weight of said machine, wherebythe machine may be turned in either direction by power and the carrying frame swung around therewith. x

17. A traction machine, comprising, in combination, a supporting frame, -tractionbelts upon each side of said frame, a source of motive power mounted on said frame, connections between said motive power and said traction belts for operating both simultaneously in the same'directiom or one in either direction while the other remains idle, a carrying frame connected atone end to said supporting frame, means located upon said supporting frame for raising and lowering said carrying frame, a turn-table device, carried by said supporting frame, com prising means adapted to be lowered to the ground, and means for raising said supporting frame and relieving said traction belts of the principal portion of the weight I of said machine, whereby the machine may be turned by power in either direction and the carrying frame swung around therewith In'w1tness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of November 1910.

ANTON I. HOVLAND. I

lVitnesses:

GENEVIEV E. Sonnusnn, RICHARD PAUL. 

